Two Women Arrested Following Three County Chase

A pair of sisters one from Spencer County the other from Pike County face numerous charges after they led a number of law enforcement agencies in a car chase that spanned across three different counties yesterday afternoon.

Indiana State Police say just after 4 pm they along with a Pike County Sheriff’s deputy and Indiana Conservation Officers responded to a residence located along South 3rd Street in Velpen to investigate a possible intruder.

When officers arrived they found the front door of the residence open. Police say a quick search revealed no one was inside the residence, but drug paraphernalia was in plain view.

The homeowner, 47-year old Tina Winchell was detained while a trooper left the residence to obtain a search warrant.

Police say Winchell’s sister, 52-year old Lisa Schaefer of St Meinrad later arrived at the residence. According to police Winchell grabbed her three-year-old daughter jumped inside Schaefer’s car and fled.

Schaefer who police say was driving refused to stop while being chased by a Pike County Deputy and an Indiana Conservation officer.Schaefer led police down several different back roads between Velpen and Huntingburg driving nearly 100 mph at times and on several different occasions attempted to ram the deputy’s car.

Officers with the Dubois County Sheriff’s Department and Huntingburg Police Department joined the pursuit at County Road 400W and 12th Street just west of Huntingburg.

Huntingburg Police say the chase continued into the city and then south on U.S. 231.

Police say Schaefer was passing cars and darting around police vehicles that had gotten in front of it and eventually drove through the parking lot at Kars before exiting back onto the highway and continued south.

While in the Kars lot, the ball joint on one Dubois County sheriff’s deputy’s car gave out, disabling it. Also a Huntingburg patrol car was sideswiped by Schaefer’s car south of the city.

They eventually stopped on US 231 just south of I-64 near Dale and were arrested. No one was injured.

Meanwhile back in Pike County authorities who searched the residence found over a dozen pieces of aluminum foil with burnt residue, that tested positive for meth. Police say one of the pieces of aluminum foil was located under the child’s bed near some of her toys. Officers also located a glass smoking pipe and glass snorting tubes.

Police say there were also multiple open alcohol containers throughout the residence.

Winchell was charged with Class D Felony counts of maintaining a Common Nuisance, Neglect of a Dependant, and Fleeing from Lawful Detention, as well as Class A Misdemeanor counts of Resisting Law Enforcement, and Possession of Paraphernalia.

Schaefer is looking at one count each of Assisting a Criminal, Resisting Law Enforcement and Criminal Recklessness all Class D Felonies.

Winchell and Schaefer were taken to the Pike County Jail where they are currently being held on bond. The three-year-old child was released to a family member.